Winter's Gamble (12 page)

Neo had referenced his grandma a lot when they’d known each other before. Phil had never met her, but she had some neat sayings. “Never did.”

“Get on with it, Philip.”

Phil’s eyes widened. “My full name. Next thing I know, you’ll be using my middle and last names too.”

“Only if you piss me off any more.” Neo’s face was full of the attitude that Phil knew so well. This time it was more teasing than anything else.

“Can’t have that.” He leaned forward and planted a kiss on Neo’s lips. Still tasted tequila. He carefully delved in, playing and jousting with Neo’s eager tongue.

Neo pulled back. “Kiss my cock.”

“Now that’s a saying.” Phil straightened up and moved slightly backward. “Bet you could make money with that one.”

“If you’d get to it, I wouldn’t need sayings, now would I?” Neo sounded extremely horny and irritated.

Maybe the time for play was over. “As you wish.” Phil lowered his head and took a mouthful of the amber liquid. He sucked in Neo’s cock and rolled the alcohol around Neo’s erection much as Neo had done to him.

Neo’s entire body was quaking. Phil didn’t stop but continued swirling until he finally swallowed. Then he licked up and down Neo’s cock.

Neo moaned and bucked as Phil continued his ministrations. Each time Neo strained as though he might be close to orgasm, Phil backed off. Yes, he listened to what Neo had told him.

When Phil finally removed his mouth from Neo’s cock, Neo lay limp on the bed.

Phil took another shot, mouthed Neo’s cock, and swirled it around him, carefully closing his mouth until he’d forced most of the liquid down his throat.

He dribbled liquid along the flesh right by Neo’s cock and licked that off. He slipped salt and tequila onto the end of Neo’s cock and had fun cleaning that off. Playtime with tequila, salt, and a lover.

After several more rounds of drops of alcohol and taking shots from Neo’s body, including Neo’s cock, he paused and looked down at the man who appeared to be in bliss.

Neo panted heavily. “When you finally get going, you give it good.” He jerked and sat up. “You take fucking forever.”

“You’re impatient.”

“Whatever. Turn over.” Neo seemed to have trouble forcing words from his mouth as heavy as he was breathing.

“As you wish.” He repeated the phrase from earlier and set down the salt and tequila. He rolled his shoulders, getting comfortable on the bed.

A drawer opened and shut.

“Getting the condoms? And lube?”

Neo barely answered him, but it seemed to be an affirmation. Phil steeled himself, waiting for the invasion.

That didn’t come.

When something finally touched him, it was the lube drizzling into his hole. And a finger followed it.

Rimming him. Sliding around and around him before delving into the puckered hole.

Not what he’d expected.

This was gentle. Probing. The finger slid around and moved inside Phil with precision.

He’d been anticipating a taking. Not this questing. Now Neo was taking his time with Phil. He’d thought he’d pressed Neo past the point where he could play. Paybacks were a bitch.

A second finger joined the first along with more lube. They moved in and out of him with flourish.

Phil’s ass clenched before he relaxed. He swallowed, his mouth dry as Mars. His hips moved in time with Neo’s slow pace as two fingers fucked him.

Neo’s other hand slithered underneath Phil to find his cock. He began to tug and tease.

A third finger joined the other two.

Phil’s breathing caught in his throat. His heart raced much like a butterfly trapped, or a hummingbird’s wings.

He would not break. He wouldn’t ask Neo to give him more. Wouldn’t ask him to go further.

That lasted about two more minutes.

He couldn’t stand it anymore. He needed to be breached. Needed to be pounded. Needed so much. He opened his mouth on a moan. Words flew from him almost as though he had no control over them. “Please. Fuck. Me.”

Neo didn’t miss a beat in his actions on either side of Phil. “Oh? You want something?” He sounded innocent and astounded.

“Yes.”

“Me to fuck you up the ass?” Now he sounded triumphant. As though he knew Phil had been trying not to say that but had anyway.

“Yes.” He breathed, trying to catch whatever air he could.

“What’s the magic word?” Neo’s voice turned harsh instead of the patronizing tone he’d been using.

“Fuck me?” Phil would say whatever Neo wanted. He’d even say the whole Constitution if that’s what it took.

“Close enough.” The hand left Phil’s front, and the fingers left his bottom only to slip forward and grip Phil’s hips. Neo used them to urge Phil to move and rise up on his knees.

A rip sounded.

The condom wrapper.

The best sound Phil had ever heard.

Liquid poured into Phil’s hole. More than enough had already been applied. Neo was adventurous, but he was also careful. A nice combination.

Neo moved up and covered Phil’s body with his own. He slipped his cock between Phil’s thighs and rubbed before moving farther up to press into Phil’s hole. The place that had been waiting for him almost since they’d started this night.

In he moved, and then stopped, letting Phil adjust to the penetration. Out he moved, before slipping back in again.

The pace was slow but began to build. Faster and faster. In and out. Balls slapped against him as the rocking grew frenetic.

Neo reached around to grasp Phil’s cock. He moved his hand up and down, frantically grasping him.

That touch was all it took.

Phil’s come spurted from his cock like a shot from a water gun. He didn’t think the seed would ever end. Didn’t think the convulsions would ever stop.

In the meantime, Neo pounded against him from the back end. The force was so great, Phil wondered if they’d break the bed as it squeaked in time to their movements. It almost seemed like their pace was moving the heavy piece of furniture.

The bliss that had built in Phil and released seemed to go on and on like his orgasm.

He’d never felt such rapture. Each time he thought he was cresting the wave, a new larger one would ascend. It must be what a rough sea was like.

He’d break in two before this ever finished. Couldn’t get enough of the man. Hadn’t that always been the way? Even when they’d been apart. He felt like everything was centered down to his cock and his lover. He couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

Finally, Neo’s body convulsed. His muscles contracted. He yelled Phil’s name with a hoarse, strangled cry.

Phil collapsed into a puddle on the bed—his orgasm at last over—before Neo tangled with him in a jumble of body parts. There was no way he could separate himself from the other man. Nor did he want to. He wanted to stay like this. Comfortable. Content. Only Neo could bring this out in him.

They lay recovering for several minutes, before Neo slid over to unknot himself from Phil.

In the lovely turmoil of his body feeling like a cooked spaghetti noodle, Phil was hardly aware he was going to speak until he did. “Man. So good. Love you.” His eyes closed after the words. He could have died a happy man right then and there.

Until Neo’s body stiffened against him. Phil didn’t have to look at him to know something had upset him.

Love you.
The last words came back to Phil like a kick in the crotch. His eyelids fluttered open. What had possessed him to say that? No matter how he felt, he should have known that wouldn’t go over well.

Neo’s body was like a rock against him. Rigid and unmoving. Neo probably had a pissed-off look.

He chanced a glance to see Neo’s shocked face. He’d bet wrong on his expression. Maybe surprise was good as opposed to anger? How to fix this? It had been too much to hope that Neo hadn’t heard it. Hell, he hadn’t been aware he’d been saying it. Time for damage control. “You blew my mind. I’d love anybody right now.” It sounded lame, even to his ears. But maybe that would start them talking, and there’d be a way around it in the conversation.

Neo didn’t relax at all. His face turned into one of stony annoyance, that while not his mad face, it still wasn’t the way Phil wanted Neo to look. “You know—”

“I know.” Phil blew out a long heavy breath. He was still recovering from the most intense orgasm of his life. Of course he didn’t know what he was saying. All the blood hadn’t returned to his head yet. It was a lousy body design that a man could barely think and have a full-fledged erection at the same time. And forget it after an orgasm. It was like all the brains went out with the come.

“No, no, you don’t know.” Neo leaned away from him and kept his distance. “You don’t know me well enough to love me. You can’t say that.”

Phil rubbed his face. What the hell? He’d just figured this out and blurted the words as they’d come into his head. Might as well go for broke. “I do know you. I know your favorite drink is a mojito. You love the color purple. Actually you love the book,
The Color Purple
too. And the movie. Your favorite meal is a cheeseburger and fries, but you eat vegetables to try and keep your dancing ‘figure’ and only go on a binge once in a while. You don’t like ice cream, even when it’s covered in chocolate, though you do adore chocolate. Dark to be exact. You like to dance and wanted to be a ballet dancer like Baryshnikov when you were in high school, but you became too tall. You wrinkle your nose when you get upset. Your favorite curse word is ‘shit.’” He could go on, but he stopped. He knew more about Neo than he’d even realized.

“How…” Neo looked as if he didn’t know what to say, and he stammered in proof of that. The man was rarely speechless.

Maybe that was a point for Phil. “I never got over you from before. I know you’re not ready. I know that. I screwed it up. But I know how I feel now.” Even before he’d known he was in love, he’d known there was something special about Neo. There was something about him that drew Phil despite the conflicts that kept them from getting together. If Rose hadn’t done what she had, he’d still be mooning over Neo even as he tried to date other people.

“I don’t know whether to call you a stalker. Or be like in the sappy movies and run to you with arms wide open.” Neo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Course, I always curse and throw things at the screen in a sappy movie.”

Humor. That was a good sign. “Well, I’m not a stalker.” Phil chuckled. “I know that, and I know you’re not ready to feel that way about me. I don’t expect it. I can wait.” He’d waited this long. What were a few more months?

Neo looked at him with his eyes open wide. “Why?” He sounded incredulous, like Phil had said he was going to walk on the moon.

“Why what?” Phil had never thought he’d get this far in making things right with Neo. Of course he would wait for Neo to figure out his feelings no matter how long it took.

“Why wait?” Neo didn’t look like he could understand that. Did he think so little of himself?

“Because you’re worth it.” He pulled the blanket up around him as if to dismiss the conversation. He turned his back to Neo. His voice sounded flat. “I can leave if you want. But I’d like to stay. Like I didn’t before.”

After a moment, Neo shifted back over in the bed. He seemed to hesitate but finally spoke. “You can stay. But don’t get any ideas.” Neo must have tugged on the blanket, because it moved.

Phil enjoyed the smell of Neo beside him and the scent of him in the sheets. He didn’t say anything but closed his eyes and lay in Neo’s room. In Neo’s bed. He’d finally get to wake up with the man instead of by a phone call. He wouldn’t run away this time. Maybe he better turn off his damn phone. But he was warm in the bed, and after that killer orgasm he was tired, so he decided to stay where he was. He’d ignore the phone if it rang. He opened his eyes a few minutes later when a hand came around him and went to his crotch. “Thought you said don’t get any ideas…” Did his smile show in his tone? Neo could wake him up like that anytime.

“I did.
I’m
the one who can get ideas.” Neo’s breath was hot against Phil’s neck as he stroked along Phil’s flaccid cock. That was having ideas about coming back to life. It twitched and then barreled into an erection. “Lots of ideas. You’re a quick boy.”

Phil turned to face Neo with a kiss to his lips. He drowned in the man’s embrace, his entire libido coming back to life.

He’d gone into this with the knowledge it might only be tonight and hadn’t even thought about Neo and him going to bed. A second round of sex was more than he’d ever hoped for after his admission.

The chance was paying off.

Chapter Nine

Neo awoke warmer and more content than he’d ever been before. The covers were on him, unlike usual when he’d kicked them off. His arm was thrown across something that breathed, and his legs were intertwined with what felt like a different set of legs.

Phil
.

Neo cracked one eye open to see the room was still dark, but the corners behind the shades were alight with sunshine. He moved his head and slowly surveyed the room. Must be after eight. A quick glance at the clock proved him right.

Phil snored slightly, mouth ajar. He didn’t have a rip-roaring snore. Instead, it was a slight breath held just a little long with a small buzz of an inhale.

Even not in the most flattering of positions, he was gorgeous and a complete heartthrob.

And in love with you.

That was a kick in the ass. He’d never had anyone in love with him before or at least who had told him so. God knows, he never dated. He didn’t spend time with anyone long enough for them to fall in love. That had been his way since he’d figured out he was gay and that he wanted to dance. He’d never met anyone he wanted to stick around long enough to find out they were in love with him.

So how did this happen?

He didn’t have a clue. At best, it was thrilling. It was exciting. At worst, it was scary and could turn into a monster of a problem.

Phil’s body jerked in sleep. He cuddled up to Neo like Neo was a comfy pillow or blanket. Never even woke up. The heat-seeking body that seemed to pull Phil into his warmth also made Neo want to lean over and brush a soft kiss on the man’s cheek.